Thursday, July 14, 2016

Tauy Creek Digest #10: Dracula In London

He had arrived in London. We were warned and now it's happened. It was pouring rain when the six of us got equipped for the battle ahead. We had no idea where to start looking and no leads. Renfield, a patient of Dr. Seward's, sometimes knew when the Count was around but right now, he was spreading sugar on his window so he could catch flies.

An entire day wasted but the next day we went to talk to Samuel Billington who managed the Count's cargo on the way to London, who said that he delivered 50 crates of common earth to a house on Jamaca Lane. We now have somewhere to start looking.

We all went to Jamaca Lane and Dr. Seward picked the lock so we could get in. Once inside, we saw a large grandfather clock by the stairs and heard a dripping sound. Jonathan lit the way for Mina to sterilize the crates of earth, finding documents for a house the Count bought in the city. As we all left Jamaca Lane, I went upstairs, finding nothing of interest, but got bit by a spider in the process.

We went to the city to the house the Count bought. Seward attempted to pick the lock on the house but a policeman came by and took him and Arthur in for questioning. We resorted to forcing a window open, another policeman passed by but ignored what we were doing. There were more crates to sterilize and we found a set of keys. Despite being banished from the dirt of his homeland, I felt that we were no closer to destroying the Count.

That night, a cool mist floated into Mina's room in the asylum--where she and Jonathan were staying--and Dracula appeared. He taunted us before opening and vein on his chest and forcing Mina to drink from it. As we all approached to attack him, he faded away back into the mist and was gone. The next morning we saw the characteristics of a vampire come over Mina's face.

Nearly a week had passed with no sign of Dracula but then Renfield burst into Dr. Seward's office, crazed look in his eyes, brandishing a knife. The knife sliced the Doctor's arm and Renfield took off for the Estate of Carafax next door. The five of us, minus Dr. Seward, who was being treated for his wound, took up our weapons and walked to the long abandoned mansion.

Count Dracula stood as large as life in the middle of the room when we opened the door, surrounded by seven crates of earth from his homeland. Mina stayed off to the side but I, along with Jonathan, Arthur, and Quincey attacked the Count. My crucifix seared his forehead and he dodged the knife attacks from the others. In all the confusion, we didn't notice Renfield come into the house. Mina went over to talk to him, they had always gotten along, and try to get him to go back to the asylum. "You don't matter now," Renfield screamed and slit Mina's throat. She collapsed onto the dusty floor.

Sidetracked by Renfield, Arthur took his eyes off the Count and quickly got his neck snapped, going limp and falling onto one of the crates. In a rage, Jonathan lunged at the Count who swung his arm at Jonathan, hitting him in the head. He landed on the floor and didn't move.

Pleased at the death surrounding him, the Count let his guard down and Quincey was able to plunge his knife into Dracula's chest. Dracula screamed in terror but as he died into a mist similar to what we saw the other night, a look of peace came over his face. The crazed look on Renfield's face left as Dracula disappeared. After a moment of silence for everyone involved, Quincey and I returned with Renfield to the asylum. It was all over.

~*~*~

Seven years ago we all went through the flames; and the happiness of some of us since then is, we think, well worth the pain we endured.